1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a waste toner collecting apparatus. More specifically, the present invention relates to a waste toner collecting apparatus for use with equipment for forming a visible image by using a toner, for example, such as an electrophotographic copying machine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
For example, in an electrophotographic copying machine, a toner image formed on a photosensitive member is transferred on a copying paper, but such a transfer is often incomplete and some toner remains on the photosensitive member. Accordingly, a cleaning apparatus for cleaning such remaining toner is provided in conventional electrophotograpic copying machines and the waste toner removed by the cleaning apparatus is collected in a waste toner container. Such waste toner container is normally provided in conjunction with the cleaning apparatus, but there is a possibility that the waste toner will leak from the mounting or connecting parts thereof when removing the cleaning apparatus.
A developing apparatus which is capable of solving the problem of leaking toner when supplying the toner has been disclosed, for example, in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 7964/1981 published on Feb. 21, 1981. However, what is disclosed in the Japanese publication is the developing apparatus which is not applicable just as it is in the cleaning apparatus and the waste toner collecting apparatus related thereto.